Starting your own seeds can be intimidating for new gardeners, but once you get the hang of it, there’s nothing to fear. One of my goals here on the blog is to provide you with the best information, to help you grow great flowers and hopefully dispel the notion that success is only possible for professionals.
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In addition to some of the tips I’m sharing today, I want to make sure you know about a couple other sources of info here on the Floret site:
-In the Floret Resources section, I have created a little Starting Seeds 101 tutorial and photo essay (be sure to click the arrows to advance the images) with some of the basics.
-Here on the blog, you’ll find a post covering Seed Starting Basics.
-In the Floret Shop, I’ve included sowing and growing instructions for dozens of my favorite flowers.
There’s nothing I hate more than seeing trays of beautiful little baby flowers go downhill before my eyes because I overwatered, underwatered, or got too excited about transplanting and didn’t properly harden them off. Seriously, I’ve found some pretty lame ways to waste expensive seed and lots of creative ways to kill baby plants over the years. Learning the hard way isn’t the most fun way to start seeds, so hopefully you can avoid making these same mistakes.
I’ve put together a little list of some Do’s and Don’t when it comes to seed starting. This list of quick tips is meant to complement other resources I’ve already created, plus help you learn from some of my greatest seed starting blunders.
DO tamp down the soil into your containers or cell packs. Then pack it down a teeny bit more. By pressing down on the soil, you not only eliminate air pockets that little rootlets don’t like, but you also make it so much easier to remove your baby plants once they are ready to transplant. I remember mangling a whole mess of baby snapdragons because I had been sloppy about filling the flats with the soil. When it came time to transplant, instead of popping the plants out with a nice solid chunk of soil attached, the soil separated from the roots and I ended up with a crumbly mess and traumatized plants.
DON’T forget to moisten the seed starting mix prior to adding your seeds. If you add your seeds to dry potting mix and then try to overhead water, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll send your seeds floating to the corners of the container. If they are really tiny like Iceland poppies or snapdragons, you’ll probably wash them away and have to start over.
DON’T start your seeds too early. In the rush to get growing, it is easy to fall into the trap of starting all your seeds all at once. If you read the seed packets or catalog descriptions, you’ll note that it is recommended to start some slow-growing flowers earlier (10-12 weeks before your last frost) than others (4-6 weeks). If your frost-free date isn’t until mid-May, for example, you’ll want to start your foxglove now, but hold off on fast-growing, heat loving zinnias until later. One year I totally jumped the gun and planted zinnias way too soon and I had plants busting out of their pots, becoming root bound because they had no where to go. They were ready to be transplanted outside, but the spring frosts hadn’t yet passed, so I had to throw them all away.
DO use bottom heat to get your seeds started. It is amazing how much faster and how much better seeds germinate with a little heat at their feet. Propagation mats work great for this. If you are a home gardener or small scale flower farmer you can get by with just one or two mats. Leave your seed starting trays on the heat mat only until they germinate. Once sprouted, move the tray off the heat and make room for the next seed starting tray(s).
DON’T seed more than one type of flower in the tray, especially if you plan to use a humidity dome. Germination rates vary by variety so it is best to have all the cells filled with the same flowers, that way you won’t be forced to remove the dome too soon for a row of early germinators or too late for those slow to germinate. Plus, having variable plant heights in the same tray makes adjusting the height of the lights over the trays difficult (shorter plants within the tray can get leggy when light is adjusted for the taller plants).
DO remove the plastic humidity dome after your seeds germinate. Domes are really only used on the trays until the seeds germinate, which for some varieties may be as few as a few days. Once your plants have popped up, they need lots of air and light. Left on too long, domes can kill seedlings. Note: some gardeners recommend “weaning” their trays from a humidity dome by propping the dome open for a day or two before fully removing it. Similar to the process of hardening off more mature plants, this gradual acclimation to the heat and humidity outside the dome can reduce plant shock.
DO water your plants from the bottom when possible. Standard seed starting sets contain three pieces: a humidity dome, a cell pack layer with drainage holes, and a tray that serves as a liner for the cell packs. By nesting your cell packs (or whatever container you choose to use) in the waterproof tray, you can then add water to the tray which allows the soil to essentially siphon or wick up the water. This keeps water off of your leaves, helps prevent problems with fungus and disease, plus it focuses water where it is needed most, at the root level.
DON’T underestimate the amount of light tiny plants need to grow. If you use grow lights, be sure to adjust them so that they are no more than three inches above the tops of your plants. When I was a newbie, this was not intuitive to me. At all! As a result, I grew lots of gangly, leggy plants because they weren’t getting enough light.The bulbs were simply too far away from the foliage canopy. Once I realized my mistake, I adjusted the lights to about an inch or so above the top of the leaves (it seems really close, but trust me this is better for the plant). Once I had the lights adjusted, I found that the plants grew so much better, with nice strong stems.
DO “harden off” your plants before you transplant them. I am embarrassed to admit just how many plants I fried because I didn’t do this key step. In my excitement to transplant my baby plants into the field, I didn’t give them any chance to acclimate to their new outside environment. “Hardening off” is simply a process of allowing your plants time to gradually adjust to their new environment.
Think about it: your little plants have been in a warm and cozy, temperature-controlled environment for weeks, or months. If you suddenly take them from that space and expose them to bright sun, wind and temperature swings in the open garden, it is stressful to the plant. This step often requires lots of moving plants around, but trust me, transplant shock is real and deadly and taking the time and effort to allow your starts to adjust will make for happier, stronger plants and more flowers.
DON’T beat yourself up if you make mistakes. Unless you are super lucky or already have a magical green thumb, you’re probably going to make a few mistakes your first time time starting seeds. $#!+ happens. And it’s ok! You’re sure to make far fewer mistakes than I did during the early days, but just know that goofing up is inevitable. That is part of the joy in gardening is learning what systems work well for your situation, your climate.
Have you made any of these same mistakes? Or do you have any seed starting lessons you learned the hard way? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.
A humidity dome is an excellent tool to have in your seed starting tool kit. Used properly, a dome can; help maintain soil moisture and temperature, increase germination rates, protect delicate or expensive seeds, and limit time spent watering seedlings.
DO YOU NEED A HUMIDITY DOME TO START SEEDS?
Many people debate if a dome is necessary when ordering supplies and planning ahead to start up seeds for this year's garden. Seeds provided with moisture, warmth, and light at the right time will germinate. Humidity domes help maintain two of these three needs for your seedlings.
Humidity domes of all sizes are a helpful tool to use during germination, often used in conjunction with heat mats. They help protect the seeds, maintain moisture levels, and create the perfect environment for those seeds to get a great start. While many of your seeds will likely germinate without the help of a humidity dome, using one will increase your germination rates significantly and decrease the time to sprouting for most seeds.
This practice cuts down on wasted seed and time. Humidity domes are meant to stay on the tray until the first sign of germination or once you begin to see the tray sprout. After this, remove the dome and place your trays under light, with proper air circulation. If brought under light too late, seedlings can get leggy. It is crucial to keep an eye on your emerging seeds during this step. Many will use a heat mat during this process to help speed up germination. Check out How to Use a Heat Mat for Starting Seeds.
HOW LONG DO YOU KEEP SEEDLINGS UNDER HUMIDITY DOMES?
While the seeds are in the germination process, they require constant moisture. The humidity dome can save you a bunch of time as it helps retain moisture. Having to bottom water or top mist trays less often is huge! Once sprouted, this same humidity can lead to mold issues, so be sure to get them uncovered once the sprouting begins.
Some growers like to wean their seedlings off the humidity domes by propping them up to allow airflow before fully acclimating them into the outside air. Our humidity domes have built-in adjustable vents to allow you to introduce air circulation and decrease humidity slowly for tender varieties. Sprouted seeds need light and air circulation to thrive at this point.
Exceptions to the humidity dome rule
A few crops are the exception to this rule and can benefit from having the dome stay one, with the vents partially open, for days after germination. Peppers notably seem to enjoy a few days of extra humid heat to really get growing.
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If you are growing specialty plants for nurseries or landscapers, you may find that using a humidity dome to create a microclimate within your grow space helps you grow strong transplants. Just be sure to harden them off properly to deal with lower humidity than their ideal. Opening the vents completely and then removing them for a few hours a day will help with this process. You can take these modified recommendations from our Seed Starting 101 Guide and apply them to the process of weaning your plants off of added humidity.
5 EASY STEPS TO HARDEN OFF YOUR SEEDLINGS BEFORE TRANSPLANTING.
Place your tray of seedlings outside in an area protected from wind and direct sunlight for 2-3 hours a day for three days. Keep the dome on with vents open. Remember to bring them back inside at night.
For the next 3-4 days, place the seedlings outside in the mornings and bring them back in at night. Remove the dome for a few hours each day. Keep out of direct sunlight, though.
For plants that will be in direct sun, remove the dome and allow plants to experience ambient humidity and direct sunlight for a few hours each day.
For 1-2 days before planting, leave your trays in their protected space outside overnight with the dome completely off.
Stop watering your seedlings 18-24 hours before you plan to plant them. (This makes it easier to remove them from the trays.
Using a humidity dome to grow microgreens.
While we recommend stacking most types of microgreens during the germination stage, there are a few that will benefit significantly from the use of a humidity dome. Most of the seeds that need a humidity dome are what we consider the trickier crops, things like amaranth, basil, and carrots, to name a few. For more on the basic growing process of microgreens, you can check out our Step by Step Guide to Growing Microgreens at Home.
Seeds that are extremely small, sticky, or need light to germinate all fall into the category of microgreens that are easier to grow with a humidity dome. Basil microgreens, for example, cannot be stacked because the seeds are mucilaginous. As soon as they are misted with water, they swell up with a clear stick coating resembling frog eggs. Once wet, they are far more likely to stick to the tray above them than to the soil. Using a dome here to keep humidity levels constant and nothing sticking to the seeds is a far more ideal method.
If you are using a humidity dome to sprout microgreens, it is even more important to remove it at the correct time. 24-48 hours after initial germination is ideal. This allows the tiny roots time to find their way into your growing media without being dried out by circulating air. Check out our Microgreens Ultimate Growing Cheatsheet for more information on microgreen germination times.
Using a Blackout Humidity Dome for Specialty Microgreens.
A blackout dome is a humidity dome that has been painted black or manufactured to exclude all light from your growing trays. Crops like popcorn shoots must be grown in complete darkness. Other types of microgreens can benefit from a day or two under blackout to lengthen the stems and make them easier to harvest. Our blackout humidity domes are designed with the specialty microgreen grower in mind. They will cover any of our 1020 growing trays and exclude light as long as the vents stay closed. Even with the vents open, they will exclude enough light to lengthen the stems on your short, hard to harvest crops.
To learn more about this, watch the video and read our When to Use a Blackout Dome post.
HOW DO YOU PREVENT MOLD WHEN STARTING SEEDS USING HUMIDITY DOMES?
You will typically see mold issues if you leave the humidity dome on for longer than the recommended time (germination phase). When germination on a tray is incomplete or staggered, using domes with an adjustable vent helps combat this issue. If a lot of the seeds in your cell plug tray have germinated but not all, you can open the vents on the top of the dome to create a bit of airflow while still keeping the humidity on the tray above the ambient humidity of the room. If any small spots of mold occur during the germination process, they will often disappear once the tray has been exposed to proper airflow and light.
It is also very important to clean your humidity domes between uses and only plant seedlings together with similar germination times, ideally the same number of days as to prevent molding on the first emerging sprouts. Cleaning trays can be done with basic dish soap, a good rinse, and a quick spritz of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Check out How to Wash and Care for Seedling Trays.
OTHER BENEFITS TO USING HUMIDITY DOMES
Humidity domes provide protection for your seeds during the germination process. Have you ever had mice or bugs destroy a newly planted flat? Humidity domes cover the edges of the tray to help prevent pests from wreaking havoc on your new seedlings. Although the seal is not airtight, it will prevent most plant pests from being able to access the moist soil as long as the vents are kept closed.
Transporting microgreens and plant starts.
Another huge benefit to using humidity domes is for the transport of fresh microgreens and small plants. In a time of contact-free sales, customers welcome live trays of microgreens delivered with a cover and the reassurance that it has been protected during transport. Humidity domes can help ensure better germination, proper protection, and contact-free transport from seed to sale.
So, do you really need a humidity dome?
Like any farming tool, you could do alright without one, but having one sure makes some tasks easier. For delicate crops, heat-loving crops, tricky to grow microgreens, and tropical plants, the use of a humidity dome can undoubtedly be the difference between success and failure.
Not sure if it will help? Try running a few side-by-side tests in your growing space. Two trays, treat them the same, but cover one with a dome and leave one exposed to ambient humidity. Once you see how the speed and reliability of germination increase, you will likely want to add more of this handy tool to your farming toolkit.
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